Chapter Fifteen

“I hate surprises.” Alexa peered into the mirror and brushed mascara on her lashes.

Rafe set a mug of coffee for her on the bathroom counter. “Did you really think you could sneak out and avoid a going away party?”

She couldn’t stop her gaze from drifting to his bare chest and the waistband of his blue sweats, riding low on his hips. A poke to her eye with the makeup wand diverted her focus. She used a square of toilet tissue to wipe the black streak from her eyelid.

“I told them not to bother, but from what I overheard my assistant saying, they’ve been planning it for weeks.” Yes, they’d gone against her wishes, but when it came to staff, she’d hit the jackpot. They were a loyal group. A part of her wished she could take them with her when she left for Seattle in three weeks. She’d definitely miss them.

She put the mascara away before taking a sip from her mug. Rafe, the coffee master, had nailed it again. “I would love a nice quiet lunch someplace with them. Now I’m stuck in the conference room for two hours, like a goldfish in a bowl, while everyone in the company parades through for punch, cake, and hors d’oeuvres. The only reason people outside of my direct staff will show up is for free food and a reason to skip out of work early on a Friday.”

“Ouch. That’s harsh.” He wrapped his arms around her from behind. “My guess is that people like you, and your employees wanted to throw a party where more people could wish you well. Why not go with the flow and enjoy the moment with them?”

Go with the flow. Funny. That’s what her dad always told her she should do when her mom fussed and worried over everything…including her impending move. Rafe’s gentle admonishment spurred a rueful smile. “You’re right. I sound mean and ungrateful.” She snuggled back against him. Rising before dawn at Rafe’s studio was a cruel punishment. If only she could take off her magenta wrap dress and climb back into bed with him for the entire day. As their schedules stood now, she and Rafe wouldn’t see each other for most of the weekend. “Packing and getting ready to move on time is stressing me out.”

“Why didn’t you just hire someone to pack for you?”

Her breakup with Brad wasn’t a secret, but she’d avoided muddying up her time with Rafe by dragging in the past. She also didn’t want to lie to him. Alexa met his gaze in the mirror. “My ex and I lived in the house together. I had to separate my things from his. Throw stuff out. It seemed to make more sense to go ahead and pack while I was doing it. I didn’t realize it would be such a pain.”

“Let me know if you need a hand. I have more experience than I’d like to admit in that area.”

“You moved a lot?”

“No. But I’m good at organizing things.” He kissed the side of her neck and let her go. “Not to rush you, but if you don’t pick up the pace, you’ll be late.”

“What time is it?”

“Almost six. Traffic will hold you up if you don’t leave now.”

“Not that I’d mind.” Alexa grabbed her makeup pouch, went to her bag on the bed, and stuffed it inside. “Want me to bring you some cake this afternoon?”

“I won’t be around. Shannon and I are going to check out a few small eating establishments. The ideas you mentioned for Escapade West could work.”

“The ideas we came up with.” One of her favorite tasks was feasibility assessments. “I could tag along. What time are you doing it?”

“When you’re not available.” He nudged her to the back door.

“I’m sure I can slip away. It’s for a good cause.”

“Enjoy the party.” He gave her a peck on the lips. “Don’t forget to act surprised.”

…

Alexa rallied for what she hoped looked like excitement as she stood in the doorway of the conference room on the fifth floor. “I can’t believe you guys got this past me.”

Her administrative assistant, Jen, swept a hand over her brow, feigning relief. “You don’t know how hard it was to keep this a surprise.” As people clapped, the slim, short-haired brunette guided her inside the room.

The dark wood meeting table, laden with trays of finger food, soda, and punch, was pushed to one side of the large, gray-carpeted, cream-walled room. The padded chairs that usually surrounded it were lined up against the wall. A cake with white frosting, colorful flowers, and her name and a farewell message in red was on a table nestled in a corner.

She’d been working on a report that was due in the morning when Jen had pointed out the supposed last-minute meeting on the schedule. Not that she could have finished it. Her computer tablet was at Rafe’s. Forgetting items at his place was starting to be a habit, but this time it was really inconvenient. The device contained crucial notes that she hadn’t uploaded to her cloud account. Rafe hadn’t responded to her voicemail asking him to swing by and drop it off.

Alexa smiled and accepted a glass of punch. He was right. She should appreciate people taking time out of their day. For the next hour, she nibbled on hors d’oeuvres, ate cake, and went with the flow of people drifting in and out of the party to wish her well. She also answered numerous questions about her new position at Vannett, in Seattle.

Later on, while she opened presents brought by the attendees, Jen helped display them on the end of the buffet table. The last one, a square, white box, sat heavy in her hands. Substantial gifts appeared to be the trend. The marble vase from the security division and the set of decorative rocks with motivational sayings from human resources had each seemed to weigh a ton.

Alexa held up the glass globe enclosing the pink rosebud with a cream lily and deep blue larkspur. “How lovely. I know exactly where I’ll display it.”

The “oohs” and “aahs” that had come after opening her other gifts didn’t emerge. Just silence.

Had she said something wrong? She followed the glances across the room.

Brad? What the hell was he doing there?

A half-dozen employees from the marketing department surrounded him like an entourage. Instead of the neatly clipped hairstyle he’d preferred when they were together, he had a buzz cut. His shoulders filled out the charcoal suit jacket, but it hung on him. A white dress shirt contrasted sharply with his tanned face.

She’d spotted that suit, along with the blue-and-gray tie he wore, at the house on his side of the walk-in closet. Two days ago. Wait a minute. He’d gone into the house without telling her?

His brown-eyed gaze met Alexa’s, and he made a beeline for her.

Jen placed her hands over Alexa’s, taking the paperweight and guiding it back to the box. “Maybe you should give this to me.”

Alexa pried her fingers from around the glass orb and let her assistant take it. Breathe. She pulled in air and pushed it back out of her lungs. “What are you doing here?”

“The marketing division is slammed. I came back early to help out.”

Back early? Her father hadn’t mentioned it.

Jen addressed the room. “Boss lady has a late lunch meeting.” She turned to Alexa. “Time to head off.”

Alexa settled the mental cacophony sounding off in her mind long enough to pull her gaze from him and take the escape her assistant provided. She pasted on a smile and addressed everyone as she headed for the door. “But feel free to enjoy the food and take some with you, especially the cake. I’m counting on all of you fellow chocoholics to save me from myself.”

Nervous twitters of laughter filled the room. Staff members stared or huddled in whispered conversations.

Jen intercepted Brad and stopped him from getting in her way.

Hot and cold tingles spread over Alexa in the hallway. She walked briskly and tried not to sprint toward the stairwell at the opposite end. Her legs shook on the way down the stairs. She removed her pumps. Had her father known Brad was coming back early? Was that why he was in such a hurry for her to transition out of the company?

The hall on the third floor was clear. Alexa bit her lip and almost drew blood as she held back tears. It didn’t matter that he was back at NorthStar. She wouldn’t let Brad force her into making nice with him at work.

“Alexa.” A deep, male voice called after her.

She sped up.

He called after her again.

How dare he ambush her. She spun around. Heartbeats passed before she realized it was Rafe, not Brad. On impulse, she threw herself at his chest.

He caught her.

She held onto him. “What are you doing here?”

He held up the folio containing her tablet. “You said you needed this. I called your cell a few times. Your assistant finally answered, and she told security to let me in. If you didn’t want me to come up h—”

“No. Sorry. I must have left my phone at the party. I’m so…” Her voice cracked. She balled the fabric of his blue button-down shirt in her hand. “I’m so glad you came.”

Concern filled his expression as he cupped her cheek. “What happened?”

Her lip trembled. Damn it. She couldn’t fall apart at work. “Please. I have to get out of here.”

He stuffed his keys into the front pocket of his jeans. “What do you need to take with you?”

“My bag.”

Rafe followed her into the office, where she retrieved her purse from the desk. Screw her cell. She just wanted out.

He halted her from leaving. “You should put your shoes on.”

The high heels she clutched to her chest were like foreign objects. She’d forgotten they weren’t on her feet.

Rafe laid the folio in the nearby chair, slipped them from her grasp, then knelt in front of her.

His gentleness as he slid them on almost made her cry.

Footsteps rushed through the outer room. Suddenly, Brad barged into her office.

Rafe’s gaze traveled from her to her ex and back to her again. His jawline angled as he stood. He picked up the folder holding the computer tablet. “She doesn’t want to talk to you.”

Irritation and questions filled Brad’s eyes. “Who the hell are you?”

“The guy who’s taking her out of here.” Rafe clasped her hand and led her to the door. His gaze locked on her ex. “Move.”

The command in his voice raised goose bumps on her arms.

Brad shifted but didn’t completely step aside. He looked at her. “I shouldn’t have just showed up at your party like that. I was anxious to see you. We have things to settle. Privately.”

She kept walking with Rafe. “I have nothing to say to you.”

“Alexa,” Brad called out. “Don’t be unreasonable. We have a history together.”

She slowed. They did share a history. One where she’d worn his engagement ring and had every intention of honoring the promise of joining her life with his.

Rafe’s expression as he looked back at Brad should have shattered glass. His jawline ticked, but he loosened his hold on her hand.

If she wanted to stay and talk, he wouldn’t stop her. Alexa intertwined her fingers more firmly with his. “Key word, Brad, is history. I’m not interested in anything you have to say.”

They left the building, and before she knew it, she was back in Rafe’s studio. She didn’t recall the ride in Rafe’s black SUV. It was as if she were having an out-of-body experience. Maybe she’d imagined going to work, the party, her ex-fiancé. She dropped her bag near the bed. Shivers moved over her.

Rafe wrapped an arm around her and kissed her forehead. “You’re cold. I’ll get you a sweatshirt.”

“Just hold me.” She burrowed into his chest, and his arms tightened around her.

Recollections of what should have been her wedding day, nearly eight months ago, surfaced—her, Nat, and Cori making a toast to love. Her mother rushing into her dressing room to tell her Brad had run off. Her dad hustling her into the limo, shielding her from the embarrassment of stares from the guests still sitting in the church, oblivious to what had happened. Afterward, she’d lain in bed for days, drowning in numbness, but she hadn’t been able to cry. She’d vowed to leave and never lay eyes on Brad again.

Alexa gripped Rafe’s shirt. Something sticky clung to her fingers. Frosting. She hadn’t imagined what happened at the office. Cake churned in her stomach. Brad really was back in town. And once again, he was messing up her life.